Merrick: 'Red shirts' remark referenced 1776, not Kansas teachers

KNEA says Speaker's comment reflects political 'war on teachers'

A May protest at the Statehouse by Kansas teachers, many of them clad in red shirts, isn't what concerned House Speaker Ray Merrick when he referenced "a lot of red shirts around here" as causing him concern about security at the Capitol.

Kansas House Speaker Ray Merrick expressed regret Friday for creating the impression that rallies in April by red-shirt-clad school teachers at the Capitol convinced him potential security problems were sufficient to open the building to concealed-carry handgun licensees.

Merrick, a Stilwell Republican who is the chamber's top political leader, said during an interview Thursday that he welcomed addition of law-abiding people trained to carry concealed weapons because their presence in the Statehouse as of July 1 would serve as added protection against violence.

"I'm uncomfortable with people being here for other reasons," Merrick said. "There are a lot of red shirts around here."

His statement was interpreted as a knock at dozens of Kansas teachers — most wearing red T-shirts with printing that urged people to support public education — who were at the Capitol two months ago for debate about a controversial bill adding state funding to K-12 schools and stripping teachers of employment tenure rights.

On Friday, Merrick issued a news release describing his prior comment as an awkward reference to British soldiers, or Redcoats, who fought in the colonies. It wasn't a remark about Kansas school teachers, he said.

"It was a reference to the Revolutionary War and the Redcoats, which was the catalyst for the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. I regret that my words were ill-timed and misspoken," Merrick said.

Mark Desetti, who represents the Kansas National Education Association, said the House speaker's explanation came across as disingenuous. There is no doubt Merrick was referring to teachers who relied upon the First Amendment to express themselves on the subject of K-12 education, Desetti said.

Desetti said Gov. Sam Brownback and GOP leaders such as Merrick were engaged in a "war on teachers."

"All of what they've been doing, this administration and the governor's allies in the Legislature, is marginalize and destroy dissenting voices," Desetti said. "Dissent is treason."

Desetti said the red-shirt teachers formed lines on both sides of the House chamber's entrance at close of the 2014 session during consideration of the pivotal education bill. Lawmakers supportive of public education gave high-fives to teachers, while those opposed typically ignored their presence.

"Ray Merrick walked out holding a cellphone up high playing the Marine Corps hymn and smirking," Desetti said.

Merrick spokeswoman Rachel Whitten said the speaker's telephone ring tone is the Marine song and that he received an incoming call while passing through the group of teachers. Merrick was in the Marines.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, said he wanted to give Merrick benefit of the doubt regarding the T-shirt remark.

"His past actions make it very hard to do so," Hensley said. "His comments are unacceptable and his spokesperson's attempt to downplay them is pathetic."

Whitten initially offered an explanation Thursday evening that pointed to Redcoats as the intended focus of the speaker's comment. Merrick affirmed that perspective Friday in a statement.

"He has little respect for teachers," said Hensley, an educator in the Topeka public school district. "I find it hard to believe that he simply 'misspoke.' "

The ruckus was sparked by a meeting of the Legislative Coordinating Council, which is comprised of Hensley, Merrick and other Republican and Democratic leaders from both chambers.

In 2013, the Legislature mandated the council decide this month whether to grant full access to the Capitol of all concealed-carry permit holders on July 1.

Instead of engaging in formal discussion about Capitol security, the council abruptly adjourned and, by default, cleared the way for individuals with a conceal-and-carry permit to covertly bring handguns into the building. Existing law had allowed legislators and Statehouse employees to carry concealed under the dome.

The LCC's members could have maintained a general public blockade on concealed weapons in the Capitol by voting to declare the building had sufficient security to prevent unauthorized individuals from carrying weapons inside.

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Seems like anytime one of these yahoos says something that needs to be explained later, what they originally said was likely what they believe. Comes straight from their heart. No time to think - just honest comment.

And does anybody really believe he was talking about the British Red Coats and the 2nd Amendment? Please.

And does your statehouse have so much violence in it that people have to pack guns? Sad. Very sad.

They just dig their holes deeper and deeper. How on earth does one walk through a bunch of redshirted teachers you just screwed without feeling uneasy. Then how do you try to make you commit about the redshirts connect to the British? No one believes that lie.

... just kinda sad. Worse, it is just beginning - way too good of a chance that all will be re-elected in November and they will just feel all the more empowered to carry on with the agenda. I wonder how all those teachers feel about being the ones responsible for all that is wrong with Kansas, now, including the need for non-security gun toting citizens to have to be in the capitol building to protect ray and all the rest. Do you think Canada will take him back?

Citizens Expressed Regret Today that they Vote for these Serial Liars (R)!

Just stand by your remark you honestly made and not make it worse by lying. There is a WAR against Teachers brought to you by ALEC aka Koch Brothers and their Bought and Paid for Puppets (R). The kids of Kansas will continue to suffer until Kansas voters wake up and vote for people (R, D or I) that represent voters and not special interest Lobbyists.

Kansas teachers have a lot to be frustrated about. Teachers have been treated shabbily by the current legislative leadership and the Brownback Administration who subscribe to the Militia Movement and posse comitatus philosophies.

The teachers in Kansas have politely worked through the system to make their voices heard.

Kansas teachers are certainly better behaved that the core constituency of Brownback and Merrick and Wagel. These "sovereign individuals" who are controlling the levers of power want to eliminate public education because evolution is taught; kids learn about human reproduction in biology class; and appreciation for the arts. The GOP core constituency wants the Bible taught as science; to bring back the gold standard; to stop birth control and fluoride in the water supply.

if you feel that way, own it. if you think it is reasonable to believe that you need to carry a gun with you so that you can potentially shoot a protesting teacher, by all means let us know that so that we can also form our opinions about you.

as insane as that sentiment is, at least it doesn't insult our intelligence like trying to make some spectacularly idiotic claim that you were actually referring to the redcoats of all things!

Duty, Honor & Integrity? I'm a Republican and I'm not buying these lies and insults to my intelligence. And I believe all Kansans feel the same about these transparent and patently false claims by Merrick and his staff.

It is offensive to implicate the Marine Corps in these lies, and to pretend that Duty and Honor only exists as a slogan and cover for lying politicians who clearly lack the political (or actual) courage to either stand behind what they say or to apologize when they are wrong. Try to remember the real meaning (and even literal translation) of Semper Fi, Mr. Merrick.